I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to urinary flow control valves, and, more particularly, to adapting such valves to temporarily permit continuous fluid flow.
II. Description of Prior Art
Urinary control devices, such as urinary catheters, have been developed to facilitate bladder drainage in individuals who are unable to initiate or control such drainage for a variety of medical reasons. Two types of urinary catheters have been developed to assist in this need and can be considered as comprising either a continuous drainage catheter or a valved urinary catheter. Continuous drainage catheters are used when continuous drainage of an individual's bladder into a collection bag or reservoir is desired, such as during or after surgery or when mobility of the individual is not a primary concern. Valved urinary catheters, on the other hand, are used to retain urine within the bladder until it is desired to void the bladder through actuation of a normally-closed urinary flow control valve located within or external to the urethra. The urinary valves of such devices typically include a valve housing with flexible, resilient walls that contain therewithin the actual valve element. When the housing walls are squeezed either directly when the valve housing is outside of the urethra, or through palpitation through the penis, for example, when the valve housing is in the urethra, the walls flex and cause the valve therein to deform and open for release of urine. Release of the squeezing pressure on the housing walls allows the valve to return to its original, closed state.
Valved urinary catheters are used predominantly with mobile individuals so as to provide a urinary flow control device that is not discernable by others and that is compatible with the individual's normal daily activities. However, there are times when it is convenient for the valved urinary catheter to be temporarily configured to allow continuous flow. With such a capability, the benefits of both types of catheters can be achieved without requiring an individual to undergo removal of one type of catheter and insertion of the other. Previous attempts at addressing this problem involved inserting a hollow tube, roughly the size of the inside of the catheter tube, into the catheter outlet far enough to grossly deflect the valve and to cause the valve to open. The tube would form a fluid-tight seal between the walls of the catheter outlet and the outer surface of the hollow tube. As a result, urine can continuously flow through the inside of the hollow tube.
The prior approach has several shortcomings. By way of example, the tube has the tendency to greatly deform, and thereby damage, the valve during use, especially prolonged use. As a consequence, the valve may no longer be able to seal after the hollow tube is removed, leading to unacceptable leakage. Further, the tube is held in place only by frictional engagement which can often work loose resulting in leakage and/or failure of the valve to be held open.